Combined car and train-pipe coupling.



I T. R. BROWN. COMBINED CAR AND TRAIN PIPE COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-28,1915.

Patented Oct. 23, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

T. R. BROWN.

COMBINED CAR AND TRAIN PIPE COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-28. l9I5-,

1,243,701. Patented Oct; 23, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

surface THOMAS E. BROWN, OF SPARKILL, YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE WESTINGHOUSE AIR BRAKE COMPANY, OF WILMERDING, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- SYLVAN IA.

To all whom it may concern: 7 I

Be it known that I, THOMAS H. Brown, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Sparkill, in the county of Rockland and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Combined Car and Train-Pipe Couplings, of which improvement the following is a specification.

This invention relates to combined car and tram pipe couplers, and'more part1cu-- larly to couplings of this character known as the rigid lock type, in which hook-shaped projections having diagonal vertical plane surfaces: engage each other by a relative lateral movement, and are tightly clamped together by pivoted locking levers or other automatic clamping means, and one of the objects is to provide improved fluid pressure means for actuating the locking levers to release the couplers.

Another object is to provide improved valve devices, operated by the coming together of the couplers, or by their separation, or by the-fluid admitted to release the coupler locks, for controlling communication through the train pipe connections.

These and other objects will hereinafter more fully appear from the following description of one form of apparatus embodying my improvement, the novel features and.

ing another form of valve which may con-.

trol a reservoir pipe connection; Fig. 3, a side view of the coupler with the pipe sections and operating cylinder detached;.and Fig. 4, a horizontal section-showing a modified form of device for actuating the conpler lock. 7

According to the construction shown in the drawings, the coupler comprises a main casting or coupler head, 12, adapted to be secured, preferably by a 18, to the draw bar (not a hook shaped angle to the line of draft and adapted to engage and interlock specification of Letters Yatent.

pivotal connection, shown) and havingprojection, 14, provided with a vertical plane surface, 15, inclined at an with a corresponding. on the projection of a counterpart COMBINED can Ann TRAIN-"PIPE cournmo.

. Patented o r. 23, 1am;

Application filed December as, 1915. Se'rial'llTo. 68,990.

coupler by a relative lateral movementwhen said couplers come together in the act of cou-' pling. Each coupler is also provided with a movable lock, 16, i preferably pivoted as shown, and adapted to bear against a surface, 17, on the outer side of the projection, 14, of the counterpart coupler and hold said couplers securelyclamped together when'in coupled position. The locking lever, 16, is connected by the rod, 11, with the head, 9,

having roller, 7, operated by the cam, 6,

mounted on vertical shaft, 8, which may be manually actuated by a handle, 5, either directly or through a gear connection, as shown. A spring, 10, bears against the head, 9, and normally tends to extend the lever, 16, to its locking position.

For the purpose of releasing the look by fluid pressure, I provide a cylinder, 20, containing a piston, 18, and having a mechan ical connection for shifting the head, 9, to release the lock. As shown in Fig. 1, this connection comprises the loose push rod, 21, pivotally attached to the cam, 6, while in the modification shown in Fig. 4:, the piston rod, 21 bears against an extension, 9?, of the? head, 9. In this construction "the'lock may be manually released by turning the shaft, 8, and cam, 6,-without moving the piston rod, and when fluid. .is admitted to act on the piston, 18, the head, 9, will be pushed out independently of the movement of the cam, 6. In the construction shown in Fig. 1, the movement of the piston by fluid pressure operates to rotate the cam, 6, and thereby release the lock. A spring, 19, may be employed to assist the return movement of the piston. 1 c f 1 Inorder to. establish a connection for the train pipe lines through the coupling, one or more passages are formed for communicating with the train pipe lines, orpreferably," the train pipe sections, 24, are bolted to the coupler, extending through the opening therein, and each provided with agasket,2.5,.at its end and adaptedto engage a correspond ing gasket of the counterpart coupler when the same are coupled together. Theremay be one ormore train pipe passages connected through the coupler, two being contemplated in the drawing. one for the train brake pipe and the other the reservoir pipe for connectw ing the several main reservoirsof theair brake system through the train. p

The passages through the train pipe sec- 27, extending through the casing, and a spring, 28, normally tending to close-the valve. For opening the valve automatically Such valves ma be of the puppet the same time that the couplers reach their This movement serves to push in the st in, i3, whichimmediately en-- gag-es the end or thestem, 38, and runs the valve, 37. During this movement, thew-alve piston, 37, remains seated against the valve,

locking position.

upon the comingtogether of the two counterpart couplers, i provide: a plunger, 30, slidably mounted in the; coupler headand extending in a direction parallel with the diagonal locking faces. of the coupler, one;

end of. the plunger projecting into the pocket.

of the coupler, and adapted to be engaged by a surface, 29., upon the forward end of:

the counterpart coupler du ng the last function of closing quickly when the fluid,

pressure is. admitted, to release the couplers,

but will remain open temporarily in case the couplers are accidentally pulled: apart, in order to venta suilicient amount of air from the brake pipe to cause an automatic application of the brakes, According to this construction, the valve, 32, is provided with a pistonv head, 33, mounted in a cylindrical chamber, 3%, the space, 35,. around the valve communicating with the; train brake; piper. For controlling the pressure in chamber, 34, atthe back of piston, 33, there i's'providedv av small pilot valve, 36, mounted on a piston valve, 37, and having a: stem, 38, extending through an opening in the piston valve, and, into. the. chamber, 3%, both valves having seats around the stem.

cates with the cylinder of piston, 18, for. plying fluid under pressure to valve, 36,, the same time that it is admitted to'said: pistonifroin a. supply pipe, a spring, 3:9,

normally holds the valves,36. and 37, seated against. the train pipe pressure in chamber, 34, when the couplers are separated and the valve, 32,. closed. stein, +13,

through the valve, 32', into the chamber, 34:, where it-isrprovlded With. a head for sealing the opening throughthe valve, 32,:and preventing leakage around saiclstem A spring, i l, 1s located on the stem, 43', between a shoulder and the valve, 32.

The operation. or": this valve device is. as

A port, 41,.leads to the atmosphere, While port, i0, comm extends from. the head, 31, through the casing, and

36, by the air pressure acting onthe inner face of said valve piston. The ai .ss-ure from thebrake-pipe and space, 35, which had previously equalized through the small, groove 46, around. piston, 33,. into chamber, 34., is thus vented to; the atmosphere; through port, 41, and the train pipe pressure acting onthe under side of valve, 32, andjpiston, 33, forces. the same. open. and seats the piston against; its gasket, i7, which isthe normal open, position or" the valvezwhen, the parts are. couplecltogetherl he: plunger head, 31,1112. y be provided with gaskets, 45., located around the, valve stems for the purpose. of engaging the casing, of the train pipe section or sec.- tions and preventing leakage therefrom around said. stems; when the parts; are: coupled together. with the train pipe. valves open. 7

Then, it desired? to. release the couplors for uncoupling, fluid is admitted to pipe, 4-2 and; cylinder, 20,. for actuating the: tons, 18;, torelease the coupler lock, 16,. and at the same time the fluid flowsthrough. the. 95.. port, 40,. where it acts. upon the pistonvalve, 3-'Z,.to, torce thesame toitsseat and close the. (2Xi1Zl-L1S.110i.1i,.ll.. The fluid under llnessnl. then flows through the; opening; around the. stem, 38,. into, chamber, 32%, where it. acts upon the. back of piston head, and. forces the train pipe. valve, 32, to. closer During this movement, the valve, 36., remains: open, being so; held by the. stems, 30,. 43 and- 3S, and the valve, 32-, slides: along the stem, L3, compressing the spring, stat- In this way, the'train pipe valve is closed: prior to, the separation of the couplers, and. when said couplers are pulled away from each other, the springs, 39. and: ethexpand, returning-the stems to. normal unlocked position, and CliOSr ing the. valve,

If, when coupled together, the couplers should he accidentally pulled apart, the. valves,.32, will. remain open a short period of time until the train pipe pressure acting on. said valve and piston, 33;, has reduced suiliciently tobe overcomehy the. spring, 39,. whereuponrthe valve will be closed. This permits a suflicient reduction in train. pipe 12c pressure to eli ect' an automatic application or the brakes.

It will now be seen that I haveprovid-edan improved combined car' and air brakecoupl'er in. which the train. pipe. valve; is .1215 closed by the fluid pressure mechanisiir prior to the release of the coupler locks, so" that in uncoupling, the couplers; will notT'he separated: beforethe brake. pipe: is closed. Also that. the safety featurei 'ot. venting the brake pipe to cause an automatic application of the brakes in case of an accidental separation vof the couplers is preserved.

Having now described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Let-. ters Pat-entis:

1. In a car coupling, the combination of acoupler head having a train pipe passage, and an opening adapted to register With a corresponding opening of a counterpart coupler, a valve for controlling said passage, a stem extending through the Wall of said passage, and a slidable plunger mounted in the coupler head for actuatingsaid stem and having a gasket surrounding said stem to seat against said Wall.

In a car coupling, the combination of a coupler head having a rojection provided with diagonal plan-e surfaces adapted to engage corresponding abutting surfaces on a counterpart coupler by a lateral movement in coupling, a train pipe passage having an opening adapted to register with the corresponding opening of a counterpart coupler, a valve for controlling said passage, and a plunger slidably mounted in a direction substantially parallel with said abutting surfaces for operating said valve.

In a car coupling, the combination of a coupler head having a train pipe passage, and an opening adapted to register with a corresponding opening of a counterpart coupler, a valve for controlling said passage, a pilot valve controlling the pressure acting on said train pipe valve, and a stem eXtending through the train pipe valve and operated bythe coming together of the counterpart couplers for opening said pilot valve.

4:. In a car coupling, the combination of a coupler head having a train pipe passage.

and an opening adapted to register with a corresponding opening of a counterpart coupler, a valve for controlling said passage, a piston connectedv to said valve, a stem extending through said main valve and piston, a pilot valve having a stem arranged in line With said main stem and controlling the pressure on one side of said piston.

In a car coupling, the combination of' a coupler head having a train pipe passage and an opening adapted to register with a corresponding opening of a counterpart coupler, a valve for controlling said passage, a piston connectedto said valve, a valve operated by the coming together of the counterpart couplers for venting fluid from the rear of said piston, and a valvejoperated by fluid pressure for closing said vent and opening a supply port to said piston.

6. In a car coupling, the combination of a coupler head having a train pipe passage and an opening adapted to register with a corresponding opening of a counterpart coupler, a valve for controlling said pas-v sage, a piston connected to said valve, a piston valve controlling the pressure in said piston chamber, and a vent valve mounted on said piston valve and having a stem extending through the same.-

7. In a car coupling, the combination of a coupler head having a movable lock, a pis ton for releasing said lock, a train pipe passage, a valvefor controlling said passage, a piston connected to said valve, and means 7 for admittin fluid under Jressure to actuate both of said pistons.

8.- In a car coupling, the combination of a. coupler head having a movable lock, a piston for releasing said look, a train pipe passage, a valve for controlling said passage, a piston connected to said valve, a vent valve for releasing fluid from said valve piston, and a valve operated by fluid supplied to said lock releasing piston for closing the vent and opening a supply port to said valve piston. I

In testimony my hand.

whereof I have hereunto set THOMAS R. BROWN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. G. 

